Qatar continues mediation efforts to bridge Iran-US differences

Qatar's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that meetings are ongoing to convey messages between the United States and Iran, as Doha continues to act as a mediator seeking common ground between the two countries. Foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said last week that mediators are shuttling between capitals and exchanging proposals in an effort to restart negotiations between the US and Iran, with teams working around the clock to bridge remaining gaps.

Tehran has confirmed the channel. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran held indirect talks with the United States through Qatari mediation on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, exchanging messages and confirming each other's stances. Iran's foreign ministry confirmed last week that another round of message exchanges took place through Qatari mediators on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

President Donald Trump had said that his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff discussed pending issues with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for three hours. The substance of the exchanges remains contested. Iran said it clarified its conditions for reviving diplomacy, including an end to the US naval blockade and the war on all fronts, and the release of frozen assets.

According to Mehr News, the Qatari foreign ministry's statement on Tuesday underscored that the mediation efforts are continuing, with meetings aimed at conveying messages between Washington and Tehran. The report added that mediators are working to bridge remaining gaps and restart negotiations.